Hi everyone,

For me, December is a time to reflect on the year behind and prepare for the year to come. As we head into a year filled with deep uncertainty, there's a thought I keep coming back to: each of us has a lever for change that we can pull any time we wish. On any given day, we can choose to give our time, talent, and dollars to organizations that share our values and are working to create the change we want to see in our communities, country, and the world. Each of us is free to invest in the independent nonprofit sector whenever we want to drive change.

In that spirit, the theme of our December newsletter is philanthropy. Whether it's to the Women's Foundation or to another organization that you believe in, we encourage you to make gifts of your time, energy, expertise, and financial resources this holiday season. The work of the Women's Foundation and that of our partners wouldn't be possible without the extraordinary, change-fueling generosity of supporters like you.

May your holiday season be filled with warmth and love.

With much gratitude,
Emily Evans
Executive Director, Women’s Foundation of Oregon

STAT OF THE MONTH

At every income level, Oregon women give more generously their time and money than their male counterparts.

Women in Oregon even donate blood at higher rates than women in other states. For more on the generosity of Oregon women, download the report at CountHerIn.org (page 83).

FOUNDATION UPDATES

INVESTMENT UPDATE

We're about to kick off our 2017 grantmaking! This year, we'll be giving $75,000 to organizations serving women and girls in Oregon. Our focus areas will be the "Eight That Can't Wait," which Count Her In identifies as areas of urgent concern (violence against women, systemic racism, the cost of caregiving, barriers to reproductive health, the wage and wealth gap, economic fragility, mental health, and the public/private glass ceiling).

Here's how our grantmaking process will work this year: first, our Grants Committee will release an open call for grant requests to all organizations that meet our 2017 criteria. Next, the committee will review each funding request and select several semi-finalists. In spring 2017, we will conduct site visits for each one. Then the Grants Committee will identify a set of finalists, and every current Foundation member will have an opportunity to vote on our 2017 grant finalists.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

**Name:** Andrea Chunga-Celis
**Age**: 26
**Occupation:** Program Coordinator at Adelante Mujeres
**Member of the Women's Foundation since**: 2016

What’s your favorite spot in Oregon?
Anywhere on the Columbia River Gorge.

What quality do you most admire in others?
A combination of compassion and dedication.

Which talent would you most like to have?
The ability to learn languages quickly and fluently. I enjoy traveling and making connections with people. The ability to speak another person’s language is a strong and key way to build bridges with communities.

What was your first volunteer experience?
I began volunteering at 14 years old at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) as a bilingual guide and assistant at the front desk in the main building.

What’s the best place to eat in our great state?
This is hard. I have two. I am Peruvian and enjoy Las Primas as a great sandwich restaurant dedicated to the Peruvian cuisine, and they have vegetarian-friendly food! Second would be Blossoming Lotus, as I enjoy vegan-friendly food, and their mac & cheese is amazing.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Having the opportunity and privilege to go back to my home country of Peru and work as an intern in Ayacucho, a city located in the south-central Andes and my grandmother’s hometown. I left Peru at a young age and had always wanted to give back to my home country. It added to my passion of working in local NGOs and the foundation for my graduate school research.

Which woman (living or dead) do you most admire?
I have several. Currently, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a Nigerian novelist, has been taking over my reading list. Her dedication to decolonize literature and provide more opportunities for women of color is admirable. Her speeches and quotes have kept me going through our current political and socioeconomic climate and have provided reflective moments with the Latina students I work with.

Second, I admire all the immigrant mothers who are contributing to their children's, families', and community’s livelihood while facing the barriers of language, single-parent households, and the education system. They are the strongest group of women I know, and they motivate me to continue working in social justice.

What’s your most treasured possession?
Pictures of my family, particularly a small photo of my aunt in my wallet. My aunt provided my mom, brother, and I a home when we immigrated to Oregon from Peru. She passed away when I was 14, but her strength in bringing her family to the U.S. and building her own business provided me with a strong female, feminist figure in my life at a young age.

What is your personal motto?
“It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everyone.” –Maya Angelou

What’s your idea of perfect happiness?
Any moments with my family, especially in Peru when we are dancing and eating together.

What makes you laugh uncontrollably?
My students and their creative humor throughout the school year; they know how to make me laugh.

Why are you a member of the Women’s Foundation?
Their vision and mission align with my values of empowerment of women, particularly the focus on women and girls of Oregon and the need to provide adequate and correct representation on their status throughout the state.

Thank you, Andrea!

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Consider making an end-of-year gift to the Women's Foundation of Oregon! You can also give a gift membership to an important woman in your life. Every dollar of your contribution will spur progress for gender equity in Oregon. And because the Women's Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, your gift is tax deductible.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Thurs-Fri, Dec. 15-16: Coaching Institute, Portland
This intensive two-day program provides training for you to be your organization’s Poverty Coach, conducting assessments and developing action plans.

Saturday, Dec. 17: Intro to Resistance Training Classes, Eugene
Kicks off a class series on nonviolent action & communication strategies for activists & leaders. Learn tools to confront the disturbing rhetoric of newly elected officials.

Wednesday, Dec. 21: Not In Our Town Proclamation, Bend
Building Common Ground has created a proclamation against discrimination, hate crimes, and bullying, which they will be presenting at the Bend City Council meeting.

Thursday, Jan. 5: First Annual Period Party, Portland
Join Camions of Care at a semi-formal gala to celebrate the new year, the progress of the #MenstrualMovement, and exciting changes coming up. Wear red!

Monday, Jan. 9: SASS Lane County Volunteer Training, Eugene
Sexual Abuse Support Services of Lane County kicks off its winter volunteer training, which runs through February 1. Required for direct service volunteers.

Tuesday, Jan. 10: Eight That Can't Wait: Cost of Caregiving Discussion, Portland
Join the Women's Foundation for a community discussion on the high cost of caregiving in Oregon and what can be done to address it. Free registration; refreshments provided.

If you would like your event added to our calendar, please email info@w-for.org.

OREGON NEWS TO KNOW

The Oregonian: The Plight of Oregon Women Should See Needed Relief from Salem
"Leaders must work to stop the violence that robs women of their self esteem and a sense of safety."

Rural Organizing Project: Rural Oregon Shows Up for Standing Rock
"A smaller contingent of rural Oregonians with the flexibility to travel will deliver the gear, supplies, and resources we have collectively raised."

TIME: An All-Female Coup in a Tiny Oregon Town, 100 Years Later
"In 1916, a group of Umatilla women decided that they not only would vote, but that they would vote themselves into positions of power."

Ashland Daily Tidings: Report Highlights Disparities Faced By Oregon Women
The Soroptimist International of Ashland column highlights Count Her In. Did you know that in Jackson County, a year of childcare costs over $9,400?

Portland Business Journal: Wyden Asks About Loans to Women Business Owners
"Despite women entrepreneurs running 30% of small businesses, they get less than 5% of the total value of all conventional business loans."

SOCIAL MEDIA

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

Our members support us in so many ways: from your membership donations to your time volunteering in the office and at our events.

Now there are even more ways you can support us! As you make your will and estate plans, please consider adding the Women's Foundation of Oregon. For more information on Planned Giving, please contact us at membership@w-for.org.

Also, your employer may match your gift to the Women's Foundation! Check with your human resources department to see if your company will match your charitable donations. If you have any questions regarding your membership please contact membership@w-for.org and we'll be happy to help.

If you're not yet a member, join us by clicking here!

December 2016 Newsletter: Making a Difference at End of Year